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Imam Taqi (as): You should not fear anyone other than Allah (SWT)

The story of Mamun al-Rashid's first meeting with the young son of Imam Ali Ridha (as) is interesting. Once when our 9th Imam, Imam Taqi (as) was only nine years old, he was walking down a street of Baghdad, when Mamun al-Rashid and his soldiers came by. All the other children on the street ran away but Imam Taqi (as) did not.

Noting this, Mamun al-Rashid stopped his carriage and asked, "Young man, why did you not run away like the other children?"

Imam Taqi (as) replied calmly, "Neither had I committed a crime, nor was I blocking the way. Why should I have run away or be afraid? And I also know that you will not cause any unnecessary trouble when your way is not blocked."

Mamun al-Rashid was surprised with this mature reply and asked, "What is your name?"

Mamun al-Rashid rode on. During his hunt the hawk returned to him with a fish in its beak. Mamun al-Rashid was surprised. He returned back toward the city. Once again, he found children playing on the same spot, who ran away seeing the caliph's soldiers, except this young man who said he was Muhammad son of Imam Ali Ridha (as) who remained where he was.

Mamun al-Rashid hid the fish in his palm, stopped his carriage near Imam Taqi (as) and said, "Tell me, what is there in my fist?"

Imam Taqi (as) replied, "Allah (SWT) has created tiny fish in the river. The hawks of kings sometimes catch fish from there and bring it to the Kings. They hide it in their fist and ask a member of the Ahlul Bayt of the Prophet, "Tell me what is there in my fist."

Mamun al-Rashid said, "Truly, you are the worthy son of Imam Ali Ridha (as). Mamun al-Rashid took the young Imam Taqi (as) with him, and let him live in a nearby house next to the Royal Palace.

Moral: You should not be scared of anything or anyone as Allah (SWT) is the strongest and will look after you.

Imam al-Taqi (as): Allah (SWT) can give you much more

When our 9th Imam, Imam Taqi (as) was only 9 years old, his father our 8th Imam, Imam Ali Ridha (as) was killed by the king Mamun al-Rashid.

Mamun al-Rashid decided that he would try to buy (bribe) Imam Taqi (as) into his way of life because Imam Taqi (as) was still only a child.

Mamun al-Rashid took Imam Taqi (as) to his palace and gave him whatever money could buy, but Imam Taqi (as) was not interested, because he knew Allah (SWT) could give him much much more.

No matter how much Mamun al-Rashid gave him, Imam Taqi (as) did not do anything against Allah's (SWT) commands as Mamun al-Rashid wished.

Moral: Whatever anyone gives you always remember that Allah (SWT) can give you so much more but only if you are a good Muslim and do as Allah (SWT) tells you.

Imam Taqi (as): Answering Fiqh questions is not easy

Mamun al-Rashid son of Harun al-Rashid called the young 9th Imam, Imam Taqi (as) to Baghdad from Medina and offered his daughter. This infuriated his family (Abbasid). To prove to them the excellence of Imam Taqi (as) even at a young age of Twelve year, he arranged a meeting between Imam Taqi (as) and the most learned of men at that time - Yahya ibn Aaktham, the Chief Justice of the Abbasid Empire.

It was a grand occasion with some 900 other scholars present. The court was full of people from near and far everyone wanted to see what the outcome would be.

Yahya asked the first question which was: What would be the kaffara of a person in Ihram who hunted and killed his prey?

Imam Taqi (as) answered that he would have to be given a lot more detail before he could even begin to answer the question.

For example:

Was the person in Ihram Baligh or not?
Was the person a free man or a slave?
Did he know the laws of Sharia on hunting or not?
Was his Ihram for Hajj or Umra?
Did he hunt intentionally or not?
Was this the first time or one of many?
Did the person in Ihram hunt inside the Haram of the Holy Kaaba or outside.
Did he hunt in the day or at night?
Was the prey big or small?
Was the prey a bird or an animal?
Was the person repentant or not?

It was then Imam Taqi (as) to ask Yahya a question, which he did and Yahya could not answer; so Imam Taqi (as) again gave the answer.

Mamun al-Rashid's joy knew no bounds. What he had asserted came true. Addressing the audience he said, "Did I not tell you that the people of the Ahlul Bayt of the Prophet have been gifted by Allah (SWT) with limitless knowledge? None can cope with even the children of this elevated House."

Mamun al-Rashid took the opportunity to offer his daughter Ummul Fazl to Imam Taqi (as). Imam Taqi (as) read his own Nikah (the khutba of which is used today) with the Mehr of 500 dirhams. Imam Taqi (as) wrote a letter to Mamun al-Rashid that he would also give Ummul Fazl Mehr from the wealth of The World to Come (Aakhira). This was in the form of 10 duas which were for fulfilling any hajaat (desires). Thus his title is Al-Jawad (the generous one).

Moral: To answer a fiqh question is not as easy as you may think; this is why Ulema spend years of their lives learning and researching. And why we have to do Taqlid of a Marja (Just like we take the advice of a doctor, when we are ill, we should take the advice of a Marja in religious affairs).

Young age of 9th Imam, Imam al-Jawad / Imam Javad (as)

Our 9th Imam, Imam al-Jawad (as) had an uncle called Ali Ibne Jaffar, who was a very knowledgeable, pious old man. Whenever he went to the mosque, people would surround him and ask him questions.

One day Imam Taqi (as) arrived at the mosque. When his uncle who was sitting in the middle of a large group of people saw him, he immediately got up and kissed the hand of Imam Taqi (as).

Imam Taqi (as) asked his uncle to sit down, to which his uncle replied that he could not sit while Imam Taqi (as) was standing. When Ali Ibne Jaffar returned among his friends, after Imam Taqi (as) had left, his friends told him that it was wrong for him to show so much respect to that child Imam Taqi (as) as he was an old man and the uncle of the child.

Ali Ibne Jaffar replied that he was showing respect to the child because of who he was. He continued that Imamate is an office and a station from Allah (SWT), and Allah (SWT) did not deem him an old man fit and capable for the leadership of the Ummah, but considered the child capable for it. Therefore they should all obey his (Imam Taqi (as)) commands.

Moral: The age of a person is not important but what kind of person they are. Only Allah (SWT) knows everything about everyone and therefore only Allah (SWT) is allowed to judge people, and say what they do and do not deserve.